Capsule-machine.



BVT. WINCHESTER. CAPSULE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1908.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

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THE VNORI'WS PJII'ERS CO.. PHOTO-LITH-L. WASHINGTUN. D, C,

B. T. WINCHESTER.

GAPSULE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUM- 15, 190B.

Patented Oct. 20,. 1914.

WWmeew THE NORRIS PEYERS C0,. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTDN, D. C.

B. WINCHESTER.

CAPSULE MAOHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1908.

. Patented 0013.20, 1914.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Imam

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THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PH01U-LlTHn., WASHINGmN. D4 6.

B. T. WINCHESTER.

CAPSULE MACHINE. APPLICATION rum) mun-'15, 1908.

1,1 14,325. Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

FIG. 41-0.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO4. PHOTO-THO. WASHINGTON, D. C.

B. T. WINCHESTER.

GAPSU LE M AOHINE.

A 1 9 1 0, 2 wn v 0 d 8 t n w a D am 0 9 l 5 1 B N U J D L I P N O I T AO I L P P A l1 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

THE NORRIS PETERS co. FHOT0-L!THO., WASHINGTON. D. C.

B. T WINCHESTER.

CAPSULE MACHINE.

APPLIOATIONIILED JUNE 15,1908

- Patented 0ct.20,1914

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lmwwlor THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHOH WASHINGTON. D. C.

B. T. WINCHESTER.

CAPSULE momma. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16 1908.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

11 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

v wi VII/Ill 1M1 l w i l mm M W THE'NORRIS PETERS CO., PHOTO-LVITM-L,WASHINGTQN, D, L.

B.' T; WINCHESTER.

CAPSULE MACHINE.

4 1 9 1 O 2 I C 0 d 6 m w a P am 0 9 1 5 1 E I U s D E L I F N o I T a IL P P A [HE NORRIS PETERS C0, FHOTO-LITH-h. WASH/NU TON. D, (L

B. T. WINCHESTER.

CAPSULE MACHINE.

A-PBLIOATION FILED JUNE 15. 1908.

Patented Oct. 20,1914.

11' SHEETS-SHEET 11-.

WW Loewe THE NORRIS PETERS CG. PHOTO-LITH-I. \NASHINGTON D. L.

BENJAMIN THOMAS wINoHEsrEaorjwrnnson ninrs, MARYLAND, lemmas:

MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO sneer an]:

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAP$ULE-1VIAOHINE.

Specification o f I etterslatente v Patented Oct.- 20,1914.

Application filed June 15, 1908. Serial No. 438,531.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'BENJAMIN THOMAS Wmorrns'rnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at lVindsor Hills, in the county of Baltimore, in theState of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Capsule-Machine,ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machinery for making capsulesand has for its object to; provide-improved means for stripping theformed capsules from the dipping pegsbefore cutting the capsules; thestrip-ping of the capsules into receivers be fore cutting the same; thecooling-of the clipping pegs beforedippihg them into the gelatin; theautomatic regulation of the gelatin bath with respect to the dip of-thepegs and the stripping of the capsules from the dipping pegsautomatically.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, wherein, t

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a machine embodying features of1I1VeI1tl0IL' Fig. 1 is a detail elevat1on,parts*be1n g' removed to showthe devices for regulating the bath with respect to the dipping pegs.

Fig. 1 shows another side elevation; parts being removed and otherpartsbroken away to particularly illustrate the means for stripping andpolishing the pegs. Fig. 1 illustrates another side elevation of themachine to particularly show the peg-inverting and carrying-mechanism.In this View parts are also omitted and broken away to bring into Viewthe particular mechanism it is desired to illustrate. Fig. 1 is anotherside view of the machine to illustrate the an rangemeut of coolingpipes. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 3, is a verticalcross-section through the machine on the lines A.B of Figs. 1 and 2.Fig. 4, shows another side elevation ofthe machlne to illustrate themechanlsm that operates the ainch 'olate. Fi 5 is a similarviewillusl 1. I t 7, r trating the mechanism that operates the skimmingdevice. F ig. 6, is a'detail plan view of the pinch plate. tional viewof the sanie. I Fig. 8, *isla side elevation of the lifting table. F ig.9, is a vertical cross-sectional elevation of the same, the sectionbeing taken on the lines CD of Fig. 8. Fig. 10, is' aplanjviewof thereceivcr. Fig. 11, is avertical cross-sectional view of thesame,thissection being taken Fig. [7, is a sec-' on the line E F of12,;shows an end elevation of the peg-cleaning devices. F g. 13, s aVlGW in elevation of the tilting plate which carriesthe peg plates. Fig.l%l-,

' norms, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A

shows one of the peg-carrying plates with the pegs therein,-and-.Fig.;=l5,-is a detail ;view showing one of the pegs detached.

Referring to 'the' drawmgs, the numeral, 8:), designates themaln baseplate onwhich the entire machine is supported and above jwhichtheuprights1,2, 3, sand 5, project. The upper endsof' thesequprightssustain spaced-apart horizontal supports, 19, which carry horizontal.upper tracks,.7, and a similar arrangement ofhorizontal supports, 21,sustain lower horizontal tracks, 38.' Suit- V able bolts, 13,14, .15,'16,: and, 8, secure "the uprights and upper supp ort and other bolts,61, 52, 5.3, 54:, and, .55, secure the lower sup port to said uprights.I upper supports, .19, at one side and the lower "supports, 21,. at. theopp'ositeside are connected by vertically-extending side plates,

38, which form.-bracketsor bearings for a horizontal shaft,.57. 'rAt thefront end the side plates of the machinesustain a horizontal shaft, 44.These two horizontal shafts I have :Ipositions midway between theuppertracks, 7,1and the lower tracks, 38, so that suitable transfermechanism maybe carried bythese shafts to efi'ect a. transferral andreversal ofcertain pegplates from the lower to the upper tracks at thefront end and from the upper to the lower tracks at the rear end.

By reference to Figs. 1,1 and'13, off the drawings, it will be notedthat horizontal shaft, 44, at the front ends of the horizontal tracks,is provided with spaced-apart bracket plates, 11, whichare rigid withthe shaft.

These plates, .11, are connected by a transfer table, 99, thati has sidegrooves, 65, which receive theoppos'ite edges of the peg-plates,presently to be ClQ/SCFlbGCL' The plates, 11,

and table, 99, are rigid with respect to the shaft, l l," s'o that whensaid shaft is oscillatedthe table, 99, will be swung through an arc of acircle so thatthe grooves, 65, will be brought into register with eitherjthe upper set ofrails, 7,- orthe lower-set of falls, 88,, as the casemay be. Tov oscillate the" shaft, 4A, th'e lat-ter'is providedwith apint" the rear end the 1 ion, 39, which is actuated by a rack-bar, 43,

as will presently be explained. 'At' the rear simultaneously and bymeans of the rack bar, 43. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen thatthis rack bar has a rack portion, 75, on the under side at the front endwhich meshes with the pinion, 39, on the rock shaft, 44, and at the rearend said rack bar curves downwardly and projects beneath the pinion, 9,on the rear horizontal shaft, 57 and has a rack portion, 81, on itsupper surface at said rear end which engages said pinion, 9. A pin, 82,.projects from the rack-bar andois engaged by the upper slotted end of abell-crank lever, 26, which latter is fulcrumed or pivotedat, 89, to theupright, 2. The lower end of the bell-crank lever, 26, is provided witha pin'or roller, 64, that enters a groove, 83, in the side of a cam,27,the cam being mounted on a horizontal main shaft, 93. ,lt is obviousthat as cam, 27, turns, it causes the bell crank lever, 26, tooscillateand the upper end of said lever imparts a reciprocatingmovement to the rack-bar, 43, which rocks the shafts, 44, and, 57, andconsequently swings the transfer tables, 11, and, 95, so asto bring theminto register with either the upper or lower tracks which are to sustainthe peg plates.

By referring to Figs. 13 and 14 of the drawings, it will be seen thatthe peg plates, 84, carry a plurality of pegs, 85.

pegs are arranged in rows. The plates are of a width that will enablethem to be sustained in a horizontal position on the upper tracks, 7,and the lower tracks, 38, as seen in Fig. 3. The pegs are provided witha contracted portion, 119, for a purpose during the operation ofstripping the capsules therefrom as will presently appear.

It is to be understood that both theupper tracks, 7 and the lowertracks, 38, will sustain as many peg platesas their lengths will permitbut each plate will be separate and independent from all the otherplates. By again referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the pe s onthose plates that are sustained by the upper tracks, 7, all projectvertically above the plates which carry them, while the pegs of theplates on the lower tracks, 38, depend vertically below said plates.This reversal of the pegsis effected at the rear end of the tracks whenthe transfer table, 95, receives a plate and reverses it as it carriesit down and brings it into edgewise registration with the lower tracks,38.

These It will thus be seen that each time theraclp bar, 43, isreciprocated in one direction 1t will swing the transfer table, 11, upto upper tracks, 7 with a peg plate in place and will swing transfertable, '95, up empty so as to I receive a peg plate that is ejected atthe rear to make room for the plate that is inserted at the front end.When the rack-bar, 43, is reciprocated in a reverse direction the transfer table, 95, at the rear will be lowered into registration with thelower tracks, 38, thus carrying a peg-plate down to said lower tracks,while the table, 11, at the front end will be returned empty to aposition where it can receive a peg plate at the front end of the lowertrack when the peg plate just prcviously carried to the rear end ismoved iorizont-ally thereon. This horizontal movement of the pegplatesonto the rear end of lower tracks, 38, is effected by means of afeed bar, 37, (see Fig. 1 that has a hook, 56, at its rear end to engagethe peg plate and draw it from the transfer table,

95, onto the lower tracks. The forward end of the feed bar is connectedto a rock arm, 90, that is pivotally mounted on a shaft, 60, and whichhas an arm, 83, that is actuated by a cam, 94, on the main shaft, 93. Itis thusto lee-understood that as cam, 94, draws bar, 37, forward thehook, 56, will engage the peg plate on the transfer table, 95, and notonly push it onto the rear ends of the lower tracks, but will alsoeffect a forward movement'of all the peg plates on the said lower trackand push the foremost plate ofi the front ends-of the tracks onto thetrans fer table, 11, at the front end.

It has been pointed out that the plates on the lower track 38, aresustained horizontally with the pegs depending therefrom and it willthus be understood that when the foremost peg plate is pushed intoengagement with the front transfer table, 11, that the pegs of thatplate still depend, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

When the peg plates are pushed onto the table, 11, the depending pegsare clean and are ready to be coated with gelatin,the pegs thus forminga mold to shape the gelatin-during the hardening thereof. The devicesfor coating the pegs will therefore now be described, particularreference being made to Figs. 1 and 1 of the drawings. By reference tosaid figures it will he noted that a long lever, 34, is pivotallymounted at, 59, to the upright, 5, near the rear of the machine and saidlever extends forwardly in substantially a horizontal direction until itpasses over the cams on the main shaft, 93, the lever then inclinesdownwardly for a short distance as at, 194, and then again extends insubstantially a horizontal direction and terminates in an upright orvertically-projecting end, 42, at the front of the machine. The verticalend, 42,

of the lever, 34, sustains ,a horizontal receptacle, 24, whichcontainsfwater or is provided with suitable meansfor heating an innerreceptacle, 23, which latter contains the gelatin in a fluidstate. Itwill be. noted that the receptacles, 24, and, 23, havea posi-' tiondirectly beneath the depending pegs, 85, on the peg-plate that is heldin the transone toward the other will result in coating the dependingends of the pegs with the fluid gelatin- In the present instance devicesare employed to cause the gelatin rev .ceptacle to be moved towardthe-pegs and. consists of a. rock-shaft, 22, having a rockarm, 115, onits outer end. This arm has a position adjacent the horizontal portionof lever, 34, and directly beneath a bell-crankv lever, 63, whichiscarried on the lever,i34, so that when the shaft,-22, is rocked thearm will swing and thus lift the levers, 63,and, 34,

thereby raising receptacles 24, and, 23, until the pegs are dipped asufficient depth into the a gelatin and coated. To rock the shaft, 22,

the innerend ofthe latter is providedwith a depending arm, 46, as shownin 'broken lines in Fig. 1 and the lower end of this arm pivotallyengages the forward'end of a: substantially horizontal link-bar, 29. The

rear end ofthis linkbar, 29, is pivoted at,

48, to the lower free end of a cam rocker,

32,,which latter-hangs pendantly from a suitable'pivot, '60,?on1theupright, 4. By closely examining Fig. 1 will be noted that the camrocker, 32, .hasa slight projection at one side which carries a pin orroller,

49, and that said pin orroller bearsagai'n'st:

" the circumferential edge or face of a cam,

91, which is carried onthe main shaft, 93.

' noted that at each revolution of cam, 91, the

rocker, 32,- will be swung laterally away from the cam and that thelower end of said rocker will move the link bar, 29, in a rearwarddirection,drawing the lower: end of rock arm, 46, with it, rocking theshaft, 22, and raising the arm, 115, which elevates the levers, 63, and,34, and the receptacles, 24,

s and, 23. Immediately after this. operation the rack-bar, 43, will bereciprocated and the transfer table, 11,.will be turnedwith shaft,

44, so as to elevate thepeg plate at} that time in the table and reversethe coated pegs from a pendant position to a position where they willproject above :the plate a which carries them. This reversal l of thecoated pegs carries the surplus gelatin onthe pegs to drain. toward thepeg plate instead of accumulating at the end and by this reversal thecoating on the [upper ends of the pegs will become ofiauniform"thickness.

This coating of pegsand the transferralaof the pegs andplates-carryingthem isjcontinuously going on Land "as I a plate withdescribed.

freshly-coated pegs is swung up from the gelatin-and pushed onto thefront end of theupper track, a plate attherear endof said track islowered onto the lower track at the rearendof the'machine. In thepractical operation ofthe machine it has been found that a sort of scumcollects on the surface of theliquid gelatin which would interfere withthe proper coating of the pegs when the latter :are dipped, it istherefore de- 'sirable that an automatic skimming of the surface ofthefluid gelatin take place be I fore the pegs are dipped. This is providedforv by the devicesv particularly shown in Fig. 5, of the drawing tovwhich attention is now directed.

"On the main shaft, 93, there is mounted a" 'cam,'113, .andat--one sideof said. camthere n is carried arock lever, l07',-the latter beingpivotedlatitslower end to a suitable bracket, 120, and said pivoted endcarrying an arm,

131, which engages cam, 113.}:

The upperlend of lever, "107,,is "pivotally connected at, 106, to therear end of arelever isjpivotally connected to the forward end of a rod,108, whose rear end is pivoted at, 129,-to the upper end of a rockerbar,

109. Thisrocker bar has its lower end pivot ally connectedtouthebracket, 120, and the pivoted end oar'ri esan arm, 132, thatengages cam, 112, which intermittently rocksthe bar :and draws-on .rod,l08,- to rock the bell-crank, 103. A suitable spring, 130, From theabove description it :will he serves to yieldingly draw the upper ends"of the lever, 107', and rocker bar, 109, toward each other as the cams,113, and, 112, release them. From the above description it is to.

be understoodthatbar, 107,-will cause the'110 skimmer paddletobe movedback and forth a on the surfaceof the gelatin while bellcrank, 103, willliftthe skimmer paddle as it makes one of its cross-wise movements,thusalways skimm ng or drawing the scum to one side ofthe gelatinreceptacle. The repeated clipping of the pegs into the gelatin obviouslygradually consumes the gelatin and unless some means be provided ;toincrease the upward stroke of the end, 42, of bar, 34, the depth of thedip of the pegs in the gelatin will quickly decrease and be comeinsufficient. To avoid this, mechanism' is provided to graduallyincrease the throw of the lever, 34, and thereby raise the gelatinreceptacle at intervals more and more, until the gelatin is practicallyall consumed. The mechanism for accomplishing this is illus- 7 Figs.land 1 and will now be trated in A bell-crank lever, 63, is pivoted at,7 4, to the side of the lifting lever, 34, which raises and lowers thegelatin receptacle and one arm of this bell-crank lever rests upon theupper surface of rock-arm, 115, While the other arm of said bell-cranklever depends below said lifting lever, 34, and is pivotally connectedat, 76, to the forward end of a ratchet bar, 78. This ratchet bar hasteeth onits upper surface and at the rear end and said teeth are engagedby a pawl, 13.7, which is carried on the lower end of a ratchet lever, 79. This ratchet lever is pivoted at, 60, and has an arm, 138, whichprojects at one side and contacts with the circumferential face of acam, 139, on the main shaft, 93. A pin or other suitable support, 140,on the upright, 4, serves to hold the rear end of theratchetbar, 78, upinto engagement with the pawl, 137, and a pawl, 80, on the lower end ofupright, 3, serves to prevent I the return of ratchet bar, 78, when thepawl, 137, is returned to engage another tooth.

From the foregoing description 1t isto be understood that as cam, 139,makes a revolution the arm, 138, of lever, 79, will be moved laterallycarrying the pawl, 137, on the lower end of said lever, 79, and thusdrawing the bar, 78, rearwardly one tooth. This slight.

rearward movement of the bar, 78, will cause the lifting bar, 34,.willbe varied at each stroke or in otherwords when lowered. on

one stroke the bar, 34, willhave a position slightly higher'than ithadon the last preceding stroke.

tance' and the result is that each time the gelatin receptacleis raisedit will stop at a.

In practice the upper and lower tracks of the machine which sustain theendless series of peg plates are inclosed, except at certain points, towhich reference will hereinafter be made, and the object ofsoinclosingthe tracks is to enable the coating of gelatin on the pegs tobe maintained in an atmosphere at proper temperature,the air passingthrough a blower, 135, and by pipe, 111, to the coated pegs. If it isdesired to raise the temperature of the air the latter is passed throughan air intake device, 110, in which a suitable burner is placed. Thesefeatures are shown diagrammatically in the drawings in Figs. 1 and 1 andthey operate. to efiect a proper hardening of the gelatin during thetravel of the peg plates on the upper track so that after they have beendelivered onto the lower track they will be sufiiciently hard whichsustain and lower the track section side of the uide plate. The totalmovement of the bar, 34, however will be the same because the arm, 115,will always, swing the same dis- 'or' set to enable themto be strippedfrom the are, returned, is interrupted and at that point a short movabletrack section 140, is interposed. This short track-section is earned onthe forward ends of lifting bars, 6, which latter extendsubstantially ina horizontal direction toward the rear of the machine and are pivotedat, 58, to the upright, 5. Under normal conditions the track-section,140, has position in alinement' with the lower tracks, 38,- so that thepeg plate immediately at the rear may be moved thereon. After a pegplate has been moved onto said track section the latter is. loweredthrough the action of a cam, 28, on main shaft, 93, which cam allows alever, 61, that is pivoted at, 89,

to swing'rearwardly and pull down a link ba'r,73, which is pivoted at,77, tosaid lever, 61. The upper" end of link-bar, 73, is pivotallyconnected to one arm of a crank shaft,

'72,"-the. other arms of said crank shaft projecting beneath the liftinglevers, 6,

and the peg plate thereon.

Beneath the track section, 140, there is provided a horizontal guideplate, 12the latter having a series or rows of perforations, 141,

so arranged asto receive the depending pegs on which the capsules, whichare now sufficiently hard or set to be removed. The pegs and capsulesthereon are therefore passed through saidperforations, 141, in the guideplate, 12, so as to depend below the under By referring to Figs. 3, '9.and 10, of the drawings it will be noted that the horizontal guideplate, 12, is a part of a frame having vertical side walls, 142,the-latter extending down to a hori zontal platform, 143.

A horizontal shaft, 121, extends through the machine from one side tothe other,-

passing through openings or bearings in the walls, 142, of theguide-plate frame, and said shaft is provided with eccentrics, 62, whichare rigid with the shaft and which turnin elongated openings or slots,144 in the vertical side walls, 86, of a lifting table.

This lifting table has position between the walls, 142, of the guideplate frame, and is provided with a horizontal top, 114, with a seriesof vertically-extending perforations,

145, which form a lower guide for the depending capsule-covered pegsthat have been table'carr'ies'pinch plates, 25, as seen best in Figs. 6,7, 8 and 9, of the drawings. These pinch plates are provided along therear edgewith a crosswise groove, 146, and between said groove andtheopposite edge, is also provided with a, series-or rows of perforations.By referringparticularly to Fig. 6, it will be noted that eachperforation has an enlarged circular portion, 116, a smaller circularportion, 117, and a contracted portion, 118, at a point which separatesthe larger from the smaller circular portions. Itwill be recalled thatthe pegs, 85, have heretofore been described as having a reduced annularportion, 119, and it will be understood when it'is now pointed out thatwhen the pegs and capsules thereon. are passed through the guideperforations, 141, and, 145, their lowerends are alsopassed through thelarger circular portions, 116," of the pinch plates which receives themfreely. After the pegs with the capsules thereon have been insertedin-the large circular portions, 116, of the pinch plates the latter aremoved laterallyso as to pass the pegs and capsules thereon into thesmaller circular portions, 117, where they will fit snugly. To do this,the location of the annular reduced portion, 119, ofthe pegs is "suchthat said reduced portions'will'be in line with the contracted portions,118, of the pinch plates, consequently the pegs and capsules thereonwill pass laterally through the contracted portions, 118, and will thensnugly fit the smallercircular portions, 117.

The lateral movement of the pinch plates is, effected as is best shownin Fig. 4, by a reciprocable rod, 68, which hasits forward end engagingthe groove, 146, of thelpinch plate. The rear end of this rod ispivotally connected at, 67, to rock-arm, 92, which latter is carried ona rock-shaft, 50, which latter also carries an arm, 36, which isactuated by a cam, 87, on the main shaft, 93, to move rod, 68, in onedirectionl An arm, 30, is also carried on'the rock-shaft, 50, andisactuated by a cam, 88, on the main shaft to move the rod, 68, in theother-direction. It will thus beunderstood that the move ment of rod,68, in one direction will cause the pinch plates to move so that thepegs and capsules will be engaged by the wall of the smallercircular-portion, 117, while the movement of the rod in the otherdirection will reverse the movement of the pinch plate.

After the pinch platehas been removed so that the pegs and the capsulesthereon are located in the smaller circular portion, 117, an operationof the eccentrics, 62, will cause the table, .86, to descend carryingthe pinch plate with it. At this time the peg plates and pegs will beheld stationary and the downward movement of the table and pinch platewill strip the capsules from the lower pendant ends of the pegs andcrowd them into receivers, '69, aswill presently be ex plained. w p

The devices that impart the vertical movement to the table and'pinchplates are theed through the gearing from shaft, 45.

eccentrics, 62, which turn with shaft,121,

and by reference to Figs 1, 1 and 3, of the" it pulley,-147, and at-theother end carries a pinion,20. This pinion meshes witha gear,

17, ona short shaft, 70, whichlatter shaft also carries a pinion, 97,that'mesheswith and drives a'gear, 18, on" the eccentric shaft,

121. It will thus be seenthat the vertical movement of the table, 86,and pinch plates to strip the capsules from the pegs is effect Whenthepegs with the capsules thereon" are insertedin 'thep'erforations,141, 145, and, 118, the lower ends of the pegs will have-positiondirectly over a capsule receiver, 69, The receiver [is sustained onsuitable brackets, -148,that arerigidly secured to the inner sidesof thewalls, 142, of the table frame and project through slots, 149, in saidwalls, 142, so the table may move vertically"irrespective: ofthebrackets. The receivers are portable so that when one has received thecapsules froma series of pegs,

it may be removed andianother substituted". 5

The receiver is shown in 8,9, 10 and 11 of the draw ngs andcomprlses alower receptacle portion, 150, having a plurality" of cavities, 151, andalsohaving an outerplate,

126, that is movable withrespect to the, receptacle portionby means of ahinge,152.

movable plate, 128, is providedwith a series of perforations,*156, allshowni'n Fig."11 of the drawing It will also be noted in said Fig-11,that a slot, 154, is provid'ed'in the receptacle portion, 150, whichslot extends from one side edgeacross all of the cavities.

This slot is utilized in anotherstep of'the process ofmanufacturefiduring'the-cutting of the-capsules into proper lengths anda a a therefore only "briefly referred; to herein. 1

Byagain referring to Figs) 10 and llit will be'noted' thatarotatablefhead, 157, has bearingin the outer plate, 126, and also i'nthe plate, 158,'nextto the'rece'p'tacle portion, and-that said head hascamfaces, 159, and, i 160, which ,turn in suitably-'sha bed openings inthe interposedplates,-127, and, 128; so I that when said head'is turnedthe said interposed plates will be-moved slightly in opposite'directions and thus effect afpartial closure of the perforations toclamp the capsules Itwill be'understood that as the I a table, 86,descendsin' the operation of stripping thexca'psules fromthe pegsthatsaid capsules will be forced from the said pegs into the perforations,153, 155, and, 156, and the closed ends of said stripped capsules will ienter the cavities, 151, in the receptacle portion. Upon the completionof this operation the movable track section, 140, willg raise thepegplate from the pegs, of which the capsules have just been stripped and;said peg plate will then be moved to a cleaning device. where the pegsare to be cleaned. In the meantime the portable receiver will be removedfrom the brackets, 148, and another receiver substituted; After thecapsules have been forced intothe 9 portable receiver the rotatablehead, 157, will be turnedsufficiently, in the present ini stance by theaid of the lever, 161, and thus cause the plates, 127, and, 128, toshift sufficientlyin opposite directions to effectually 3 clamp thecapsules. The receiver is then so 3 manipulated as to cause a suitablecutter to operate through slot, 154:, and thereby cuti the ragged upperends from and leave thef closed end of the capsules the proper length.One other operation is desirable before the pegs from which the capsuleshave been re- 3 moved are again coated and that is the{ cleaningof thepegs before dipping. I

By referring to Figs. 1, 1 2 and 12, it: will be noted that a horizontalshaft, 162,; has bearing in the side plates, 163, at thei front end ofthe machine and that one end; of said shaft carries a driving pulley,102. This shaft carries spaced-apart eccentrics, 101, which turn insuitable openings or slots, l 164:, in the vertical side walls, 165, ofa peg- 5 cleaning table, 122. This table has an upper horizontal plate,122, with rows of perforations therein and a lower plate, 124, I

between which is placed a cleaning felt, 123. I The felt and lower platealso have rows of registering perforations which aline with theperforations in the table or plate, 122. After the peg plates leave themovable track I section, 1 10, they pause over the cleaning table .andwhile thus stationary the shaft, 162,"W1ll turn eccentrics, 101, andcause the table to be vertically reciprocated thus bringing theperforations in plate, 122, felt, 123,;andplate, 124, into registrationwith the dependingpegs and by moving onto and oifthe pendant ends ofsaidpegs effecta' cleaning and polishing of the pegs to put them incondition to receive a fresh coating of gelatin when they are nextdropped into the gelatin receptacle. At the front. end of the lowertrack there is provided a system of pipes, 133, 134, and, 136, whichdirect air 5 about the peg plates and pegs and effect a cooling of thelatter to enable them to retain the fluid gelatin intowhich they areagain dipped after they arepushed onto the front transfer as heretoforedescribed.

From the above description itis to beunderstood that the practicallyendless series of plates with the pegs. thereon are so an r ranged andmanipulated that the pegs are dipped into and thus coated with gelatin;are then reversed andmoved along upper tracks where the gelatin coolsand sets; are then lowered onto lower tracks where the set capsules arestripped into portable receivers; the pegs are then cleaned and cooledand the operation repeated. It will also be I understood that themovement of the pegplates is an intermittent one so that at the momentsof rest the pegs on one plate will be dipped; another set of pegs willbe stripped; another set will at the same time v be cleaned and anotherset be cooled, and the other sets of pegs with the capsules thereon willbe simply utilizing the'intervening periods to effect a cooling andhardening of the gelatin,

Suitable driving pulleys, 31, and, 96, are mounted on the main drivingshaft, 93, for the'obvious purposes of controlling the operation of themachine.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is- I 1. In a machine for forming capsules the Lcombination with an upper horizontal track ofa lower horizontal track; aseries of separate and independent plates sustained 011 the upper track;a series of separate and independent plates sustained on the lowertrack;

- means at one end of the tracks for elevating the independent platesone at a time from the lower to the upper track; means at the other endof the tracks for lowering one plate at a time from the upper to thelower track; pegs carried by each separate and independent plate; meansfor coating the pegs on one plate at a time with gelatin and meansbetween the opposite ends of the tracks for removing thegelatin coatingfrom the pegs in the form of capsule parts.

.,2. In a capsule machine the combination with spaced-apart upper andlower tracks of aseries of disconnected and separate peg plates on bothtracks; pegs carried by said peg plates; means for coating the pegs withgelatin; means at each end of the tracks for transferring the peg-platesone at a time from one track to the other; a portable receiver having aplurality of perforations and means for stripping the gelatin coatingssimultaneously from all the pegs of a plate and forcing them into theperforations of the said portable receiver.

3. In a capsule machine the combination with upper and lower horizontaltracks, of a series of disconnected plates supported by and movable onsaid tracks; pegs carried by each plate; a vertically movable table adjacent to'the lower tracks and said table having perforations to receivethe coated pegs of one plate at a time; a pinch plate carried by saidtable to engage and strip the capsule coatingsfrom the pegs; a transferdevice at each end of the two sets oftracks to lower the plates from theupper to the lower track and to elevatethe plates from the lower. to

theupper track and means for coating the pegs on one plate at a time.

a. In a capsule machine the combination with an upper horizontal track,of a lower horizontal track; a transfer device at each end of said upperand lower tracks; means for operating said transfer devices tointermittently cause them to register with said upper and then saidlower tracks; plates plate after another into contact to coat the pegs;means movabletoward and from the' lower track to engage the capsulecoatings on all the pegs of the plates in succession and strip themfromthepegs and a portable receiver to receive the stripped capsulecoatings and hold them in a separated condition.

5. Inta capsule machine the combination with an upper horizontal track,of a lower horizontal track; .a transfer device at each end of saidupper andlower tracks; means for operating said transfer devices tointermittently cause 7 them to reglster with said upper and then saidlower tracks; plates movable on said upper and lower tracks betweenthetwo transfer devices and each of said plates having a pluralityofpegs; a gelatin container; means for bringing the gelatin inthecontainer and the pegs on one plate after another into contact to coatthe pegs; means movable toward and from the lower track to engage thecapsule coatings on all the pegs of the plates in succession and stripthem from the pegs; a portable receiver to receive the stripped capsulesand hold them in a separated con dition and means'also adjacent to thelower a I 45 t track for cleaning the pegs of each plate after thecapsules have been stripped therefrom.

BENJAMIN THOMAS wircrrsrrr.

Witnesses: p lVinL A jVV. VARNEY,

RAYMOND WHITING,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' 'Washington. D. G. a

